


To Give Thanks to the Trees

by DroughtofApathy



Series: A Thousand Lifetimes [23]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Shapeshifter, ambiguous magic, casual nudity, cottage in the woods, non-human characteristics, slightly personified trees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 00:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17735903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DroughtofApathy/pseuds/DroughtofApathy
Summary: Nella grew up hearing her father’s tales of the mysterious and mystical shapeshifters that existed in secret, skirting the human world and melding seamlessly when it suited their nefarious deeds. She’d known this story all too well. And for all they entranced her, they also filled her with an inexplicable feeling of dread. Shapeshifter wives. Her father’s favorite story to tell. Men who stole and hid away a shapeshifter’s skin, trapping her in a human form to be his wife. She would not let that happen to the shapeshifter lying there on the forest ground. Not with the trees to help guide their way.





	To Give Thanks to the Trees

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally just supposed to be an angsty/cute story about a shapeshifter and a human, but then the trees demanded a larger role, and here we are.

Nella grew up in her little cottage in the middle of the forest. Only one path led in and out of her home towards the small town just the way she liked it. Since her father died some years back, Nella had carried on alone, tending to her little garden and traveling to down once a week to sell her wares.

Nella grew up hearing her father’s tales of the mysterious and mystical shapeshifters that existed in secret, skirting the human world and melding seamlessly when it suited their nefarious deeds. She’d known this story all too well. And for all they entranced her, they also filled her with an inexplicable feeling of dread. Shapeshifter wives. Her father’s favorite story to tell. Men who stole and hid away a shapeshifter’s skin, trapping her in a human form to be his wife.

She was glad when he died. Actually glad, in spite of her guilt. He’d never been much of a father to her anyway, and when he at last left his daughter to live her life as she pleased, she rejoiced even as she mourned.

The first thing Nella did after the town doctor carted her father’s corpse away to be properly buried was to tear the entire house apart and rebuild from the foundation up. No trace of him would remain in her life.

Though she had very little contact with the townspeople, nearly everyone had recognized a startling change in this young woman after being left to live on her own. She’d been quiet in the past, standing silently next to her father with hardly a glimpse up at the world around her. Now, she stood tall and let her voice carry over the marketplace. And tall indeed. Nella stood well above most of the women in town, and a fair few of the men too. And with her shockingly red curls she demanded attention.

Still, Nella loved her solitude in her little cottage in a forest most of the town feared to venture into. Yes, the creatures that dwelled in the woods were dangerous. But Nella had grown up within the forest’s clutches. She did not fear the creatures of the night, and felt at peace among the trees.

Which was why, when a piercing cry roused Nella from her sleep, she wasted little time donning a warm cloak and venturing out into the darkness with only a torch to light her way. And hopefully not burn the entire forest down.

She called out to the trees, hoping someone or something would answer and lead her to the source of that terrible noise. The forest had always seemed so much more terrifying in the dead of night, but it recognized Nella’s voice, and soon a makeshift pathway came into view.

“Thank you,” she whispered to the trees, and she might have imagined it, but she thought the branches shook in response. Another loud wail sent her hurrying along this newfound path, nearly tripping over tree roots and lose rocks.

Nella stopped just short of a small clearing, her breathing heavy in the stillness of the air. In the center of the clearing sat a woman, her brown skin just barely visible in the light of Nella’s torch. Nella gasped at the sight of this small woman, naked but for a skin she desperately clung to only for the looming figure to tear it away.

The woman let out another wail of anger, hissing as she gripped the edge of the fur skin futilely. Nella stared wide-eyed as she realized what was happening before her very eyes.

“That doesn’t belong to you,” Nella said, stepping into the clearing, her strong voice reverberating against the trees. The man, his features obscured by a dark cloak and hat, laughed ominously. The sound made Nella clutch the knife she’d slipped into her pocket before venturing out. She would not let this man make an unwilling wife out of the shapeshifter.

The small scuffle only lasted a few moments, ending in a stalemate. Nursing a small wound from Nella’s knife, the man stumbled into the forest, still holding the skin in a death grip. Nella lunged after him, running through the darkness. Her torch had fallen to the ground, the fire fizzling out as it collided with the forest floor. She searched for the man for nearly an hour, listening for his lumbering gate, but he seemed to have vanished into the mist.

Once again, Nella asked the trees for guidance, but the path they led her down only brought her back to the clearing where the woman sat, huddled in the dirt, still screaming in anguish. Nella crouched down next to the distraught woman, enveloping her small body in her strong arms. At first, the woman struggled weakly but soon turned to cling to Nella’s body, sobbing into her chest.

“We must get you away from here in case he returns,” she said, slowly helping the woman to her feet. As Nella led the woman unsteadily through the forest, mindful of her bare soles against the sharp rocks and sticks, she wondered if the woman had much experience in her human form. Whether she knew how to be a human, even for a short time. If she could communicate.

She brought the woman to her cottage, reassuring her that the forest would protect them here. She only wished the forest could have led her to that wretched man, but knew it had done all it could. After all, Nella was never entirely sure if the woods were truly sentient or if she simply imagined it to be so.

“Oh,” she said weakly as the light of her cottage brought her attention to the woman’s still-nude form. Somehow the woman’s state of undress hadn’t dawned on her even as she held her close and brought her to her home. Flushing, she turned away politely but the shapeshifter seemed entirely unconcerned with her nakedness.

“Thank you,” the woman said, wiping at her tears. “Thank you.”

“I- it was the right thing to do,” Nella said simply. The right thing. Something few others would have done in her place. Both she and the woman knew that. “My name is Nella. You are safe here. I’m sorry about- about your skin.”

Slowly, Nella turned to truly look at her guest for the first time. Still blushing, she saw the woman had long black hair and dark eyes. Almost everything about her was tiny, from her height to her hands to her…Nella turned an even darker shade of red as her eyes inadvertently traveled lower. She immediately wrapped her own cloak around the woman’s naked shoulders, kicking herself for not having done it sooner.

“Archana,” the woman said simply. Nella nodded, accepting the name without question. She knew, from the stories at least, that the woman could easily change her name tomorrow if she fancied. Shapeshifters lived by different rules and customs.

None of Nella’s clothes came even close to fitting the tiny Archana. In the morning Nella promised to hem something of hers to better fit, but Archana seemed unconcerned with something as benign as clothing or her own modesty. She’d happily curled up next to the fireplace, basking in the warmth of the flames. Nella’s offer of her own bed to stay in went unanswered as she squirmed atop the other woman’s warm cloak.

So, with a last blushing look at the softly purring woman who lay naked in front of her fireplace, Nella stole away to bed. Maybe she’d wake up and it’ll have turned out everything was just some strange, surreal dream.

The still-naked shapeshifter dozing on her cloak on the floor the next morning said otherwise. Archana yawned, stretching her body out as she woke. Nella looked away, resigned to spending her days perpetually flustered and red-faced in the presence of this impossible woman.

“There’s no need to go through the trouble of tailoring something for me,” Archana said casually as she picked herself up off the floor with surprising grace.

“You’re just going to wander around like that?” Nella asked, somewhat alarmed. Given her body’s current reaction to Archana’s state, she didn’t know if she could handle it full-time. Archana regarded her with those dark eyes, tilting her head in a way eerily reminiscent of a cat.

“My nudity makes you uncomfortable,” Archana said. More of a statement than a question. “Yes, you are human. My apologies. I will accept your offering of clothing, then.” Smoothly, she fastened her borrowed cloak around her shoulders. That she didn’t seem to take note of what the cloak didn’t cover – her small breasts and the little patch of hair at the juncture of her legs – was evidence for Nella that Archana didn’t often take on her human form.

Together, though Archana was more hinderance than help, the two women managed to fashion some spare bedsheets into an appropriately modest outfit. Though Nella had made sure the dress properly fit, Archana still looked as though she was entirely overwhelmed by fabric. She didn’t seem to know quiet what to do with herself in a dress, and even Nella admitted it looked entirely out of place.

Archana must have thought so too because when Nella came back inside from her midday gardening, she nearly dropped her basket of vegetables in shock. The other woman had evidently grown frustrated with the strange garment, and made some rather scandalous modifications. She’d wrapped a strip of cloth artfully around her breasts, tying the ends off in a knot at her back. She’d taken a longer bit of the fabric and tied it at the right side of her hips, letting it fall asymmetrically, the longest part just brushing her knee. The side that had the knot split up her thigh, exposing the brown skin. Meaning she’d taken off the undergarments Nella had blushingly offered.

“Certainly an improvement,” Archana said airily, doing a small twirl. Nella could only nod in agreement, clutching her basket tightly lest peppers went rolling. “It took a bit of trial and error, and I had to guess what parts you humans keep covered at all costs. Have I done it right?”

“How- how did you guess?” Nella asked, wincing at the octave of her voice. “I mean, yes. Yes, you’re fine. But, um, I would caution you from venturing too far from the cottage in that outfit. You might cause a scandal.”

“Oh, I just covered the parts you kept looking at and blushing when you thought I wasn’t looking,” Archana said simply. Nella turned an even deeper shade of read at having been caught. That Archana hadn’t realized her mention of this faux pas would cause Nella even more embarrassment was just further proof this woman was more shapeshifter than human.

“I’m not very familiar with this human body of mine, admittedly,” Archana continued, paying Nella’s blush no mind. Maybe she thought all humans had strangely red faces. Nella wondered if that was better or worse for her dignity. “These hands for instance. The skin is so easily cut. Terrible for traipsing about. Though I suppose I’ll have to adapt…” Archana trailed off, her air of apathy fading for just a moment, revealing her anguish.

“I’m sorry,” Nella said, placing her basket aside. “There must be a way to retrieve your skin for you. I’m sure if I go out to the market tomorrow I’ll find something.” Archana smiled weakly, curling up on top of Nella’s cloak. She had to be some sort of cat, Nella decided, sitting down near Archana’s head. Only someone feline could be this graceful even in the midst of such a somber revelation.

Nella’s trip to the market turned up nothing. No trace of the man who had Archana’s skin. Nothing about any of the usual townspeople stood out, and no one reacted strangely when they saw Nella. Perhaps most upsetting was Archana’s sad acceptance when Nella came home with the bad news.

Archana took to adapting to this human life surprisingly quickly. Nella, red-faced and awkward, had lent her human insight to helping her become familiar with her new body. And Archana, a curious cat indeed, had insisted Nella not focus solely on the proper parts of the female body.

The shapeshifter had sat happily naked on the kitchen table – a fact that Nella tried not to dwell too hard on – while Nella pointed to various parts of her body, explaining the function and benefits.

“These are breasts,” Nella said, motioning vaguely towards Archana’s chest. “They, um, they’re for nursing infants. The milk exits through the nipple, just there, when little ones suckle. I suppose it’s different in animals, but in humans we tend to see breasts as, er, sexual. They come in all sizes, but it really doesn’t matter for their actual function. Um, many men see larger breasts as more desirable. _Not_ that that is necessarily true. Um, yours are certainly…um…”

“I like them,” Archana said, cupping the soft flesh thoughtfully. Nella’s eyes widened even more. “I like how they’re small. Like yours are.” Nella squeaked at that, crossing an arm over her clothed chest. It was true. She had rather tiny breasts for her height. Not that she’d ever really considered them before.

“Archana,” she said in a scandalized tone. “Really, you can’t just comment on things like that. It’s…it’s _improper_.” Archana laughed, more in amusement than judgment. Was it more or less improper than her sitting on the table without any clothing? Nella sighed at that, refusing to answer.

“Very well, we shall not talk about breasts then,” Archana said, still smiling. She opened her legs, touching her womanhood with a hand. Nella gasped quietly, unable to look away. That she was sitting in a chair directly in front of Archana’s now exposed genitals didn’t help. “Now, what about this? I’ve done a bit of exploring, and did you know that if you touch here-” Nella immediately moved Archana’s knees back together. Well, at least one of them had to preserve this woman’s modesty.

“Archana! Now that you most definitely cannot do! A woman’s vagina is- is _private_!” Nella flushed even hotter, still clutching Archana’s knees. She took a steadying breath to regain her previously perfectly professional tone. “This is where, um, we expel waste, as you know. And this is where babies come out. It’s all very complex, and I’m afraid I’ve never seen it happen so I don’t know much more. Um…”

Nella winced. She really did not want to be giving ‘the talk’ to a woman who, chronologically, was probably much older than herself. Then again, it would have been rude of her not to enlighten this newly human being on the pleasurable aspects of living. Heavens knew she herself was a frequent indulger of such pastimes. Though not recently, what with her new housemate.

Her embarrassed and awkward explanation of pleasure made her wince and blush even harder. Taking pity on Nella’s clear discomfort, Archana gently stopped her.

“It’s okay, darling,” she said with a small laugh. “I’ve had sex in this body before. I’m not exactly new to the form completely.” Nella blinked, not expecting such a confession. Then, she felt a flash of annoyance.

“Then why did you let me prattle on like a blushing fool? If you know about…about _that_ why embarrass me so? I don’t appreciate being made fun of, and I don’t appreciate being laughed at.” Nella turned aside, knocking against Archana’s still-slightly-parted legs. Her face burned with more than just embarrassment and anger though.

“I’m sorry,” Archana said softly, slipping off the table. Politely, she wrapped the cloak around herself, actually bothering to cover what should have stayed covered this time. “I only meant to tease you a bit, not cause you any humiliation. Only, I thought you might have been flirting with me these past few weeks, and I- I’m not familiar with human customs though. I’ve probably misunderstood horribly. I’m sorry. I should- I’ll go if you wish.”

Archana stared at the ground, looking terribly guilty. She looked positively wilted, Nella thought. She wasn’t angry anymore, though some of the embarrassment lingered. Still, she reached out for Archana, taking the leap. A single tug and Archana’s cloak fluttered to the ground, leaving the shapeshifter in her preferred state of dress.

Nella groaned, low and throaty, as she allowed herself to look, really look, for the first time. Archana preened under Nella’s attentions, flaunting herself just a tad. Well, more than just a tad really. Not that Nella was complaining.

She groaned as Archana slid onto her lap and immediately began sucking at her neck. “Archana…oh, gods…I- oh…” Archana chuckled, pulling back to admire Nella’s dazed expression. Leaning close to Nella’s ear, she asked if all humans made love in hard-back wooden chairs. Nella narrowed her eyes and vowed to take that smug look right off Archana’s beautiful face.

She stood, easily lifting Archana with her. The smaller woman’s eyes widened in surprise, but she was grinning. She sprawled out on Nella’s bed, her arched back thrusting her breasts forward.

Nella hastily disrobed, only slightly bashful now that she knew Archana desired her too. That Archana had been intimate before only added to her comfort. It didn’t surprise her; shapeshifters were highly sensual beings.

It had been too long, Nella thought as she straddled Archana’s slim hips. At least some months since she’d taken up with one of the village women, leaving her admittedly rather frustrated and pent up. At least, that’s the excuse she gave when, after just thrusting up against Archana’s thigh as the smaller woman licked at her nipple with an impressively good tongue she came with a loud moan, taking them both by surprise.

Nella let out a long-suffering groan of mortification, burying her face in the pillow. Archana brushed a curl away from her cheek, kissing her gently.

“Nothing to be embarrassed about, my dear,” she said, coaxing Nella out once more. “But I am sure my tongue could make it even better for you.” Nella rolled onto her back, still trying to catch her breath from last time. The sight of Archana sliding down between her legs, looking entirely too hungry, was too much for Nella. She let out a low moan, rolling her hips.

Nella couldn’t have felt embarrassed about the desperate keens and whines falling from her lips. Not when Archana made her feel so good. It took almost nothing for her to tip over the edge again, cursing and gasping all the while.

Then again, Archana didn’t look nearly as smug when Nella, after finally catching her breath, flipped the small woman onto her back and showed her she wasn’t the only one who could make another woman cum hard and fast.

In the aftermath, Archana allowed Nella to wrap her arms around her waist, holding her close. It didn’t surprise Nella that Archana purred after sex. The woman was some type of feline after all.

“That was lovely,” Archana murmured, stretching at much as Nella’s grasp would allow. “Oh, yes. Mmmhhh, sex between two shapeshifters is always so much better.”

Nella went rigid. Archana stilled, realizing she’d said something she shouldn’t have once again. “How- how did you know? About me?”

“What do you mean?” Archana asked, being careful yet expressing confusion. “Shapeshifters all know our own kind. Have- have you not changed recently? I’m sorry, it’s probably not any of my business what you choose to do or otherwise. But if it happens you are skinless as I am, my sincerest condolences.”

Nella’s breath hitched. Hot tears slowly escaped her eyelids. She didn’t like to think about it. Hated dwelling on what had been done to her. To her mother.

Archana didn’t ask any questions. She gently kissed Nella’s cheek, wiping the tears away and holding her close. She let Nella sob and grieve, perhaps for the first real time. Only after the tears subsided did Nella begin to talk. She hadn’t told anyone before. It surprised her just how relieving it was.

“My mother was a shapeshifter. She and my father were together willingly, but he didn’t understand the rules are different for our kind. She never allowed him to have her skin, and she often left to run freely. Sometimes she was gone for weeks or months, but she always came back. My father, he- he didn’t like that. He didn’t _understand_. One night he tried to steal away her skin. The next morning she was gone. I don’t know if she left or if he- I don’t know if she left me. I don’t blame her if she did.

But I was young. And I had no one to teach me our ways. My mother warned me not to let anyone ever take my skin from me. But she- I- I didn’t know I couldn’t trust my own father. I thought- I was just so young. And he took it. He took my skin, trapping me like this forever so I couldn’t leave like her. I miss it so much but I can’t even remember what it was like, running freely.

When he died, I was glad. I tore this entire house apart looking for my skin. For either of them just in case. It’s gone. It’s just gone. And I’m sorry to tell you it doesn’t feel any less devastating all these decades later.”

Archana pressed a soft kiss to Nella’s forehead. She knew all too well what happened to shapeshifters deprived of their skin for too long. Gradually, as time wore on, they lost so many of the wonderful characteristics that made shapeshifters special: slower aging, heightened senses, athletic movements. So many things Nella had barely been old enough to enjoy, and because of what her father had done, she never would.

She could only imagine how horrible it would all be for Archana, a woman who’d lived as she had for decades upon decades. Archana seemed to be thinking the same thing, because the smaller woman curled even tighter into Nella’s arms. Then and there, Nella silently vowed to do everything in her power to locate Archana’s skin so she would never have to suffer like she had.

The agreeable heat of the summer soon turned cool, forcing Archana reluctantly back into the proper dress Nella had fashioned. Ever since their mutual attraction came to light she’d been happily prancing about naked as anything. The dress still looked entirely too wrong, but the small woman seemed particularly sensitive to the chill of the fall air. Nella wondered how she’d fare in the winter snows.

Nella went into the market, spending more than probably sensible on various fabrics. On a whim, on a foolish whim, she purchased a length of fox fur. She’d never done that before, normally feeling ill just looking at the skins of her kin. In a way, at least. Staring down at the beautiful red coat, she felt a pang of sadness that she quickly pushed aside. The fur would keep Archana warm. Perhaps a nice muffler or a warm collar for a cloak.

She came home to find Archana at the fireplace, stirring a pot of what looked like stew. Nowadays, she did most of the cooking, preferring that particular chore to either the laundry or the sweeping.

“I should have done this ages ago,” Nella said, spreading out her various fabrics on the kitchen table. “You’ll need proper clothing for the colder months. Pick out something.” Archana didn’t much like clothing, but she liked playing with the various textured fabrics. She paid particular attention to the fox fur, stroking it sadly.

“You must have had a beautiful coat if it looked anything like that hair of yours,” Archana said wistfully. She put the fur aside, pointing to a simple wool. “This seems nice enough and feels plenty warm. Can I help in any way?”

“You can help by standing on this chair so I can take your measurements,” Nella said, rummaging through her drawers for a tape measure. “Arms up.”

Nella liked having a project to work on. With Archana’s measurements in mind, she cheerfully cut and sewed the cloth, determined to make something that would be flattering to her lover’s wonderful figure and wouldn’t look utterly wrong.

She burned the midnight oil many nights, coming to bed only after Archana forcibly hid away her needles. It would be getting cold soon, she always protested, and the small woman needed something ready for when the chills came.

The morning Archana went missing was the morning Nella wished she’d never finished that damned dress. She woke, alone and confused. Immediately, when she saw no sign of her lover and nothing to indicate she’d even slept in their bed, Nella threw back the warm covers, shivering. The first frost coated the ground, but her bare feet barely felt the cold as she darted outside, scanning the area for anything to tell her where Archana had gone.

There, just barely noticeable, were two sets of footprints in the frost. One small, the other horribly large.

The cold bit at Nella’s skin, turning the pale white flesh pink. Reluctantly, tears gathering in her eyes, she turned and headed back inside. The dress was gone from her sewing basket and in its place was a note with barely legible handwriting.

It was from Archana. Nella wiped at her eyes, feeling anguish at the words. Archana was gone. Gone to be _his_ shapeshifter wife against her will yet of her own volition. He’d threatened Nella and her home, and Archana would sooner see herself a wife than have him place a finger on the woman she’d come to love. At that, Nella let out a short sob. Archana told her not to come looking. Asked if she could find it in her heart to forgive her. Told her not to leave the pot on the fire for too long lest she nearly burn the house down.

“Foolish woman,” Nella said bitterly. “Foolish.” As if Nella wouldn’t scour the earth to find her again. As if she had anything to forgive. And yet, Archana was no fool. The bastard would have surely read this letter. This deeply intimate, personal, private letter of farewell. He would know if she gave Nella any clue as to where she’d been taken. But the pot at the stove…

She went to it, and there, hidden under handfuls of ash, was a small slip of paper. _Let the trees guide you_. Nella smiled. She always knew the trees were sentient beings. And this time they would not fail her.

Nella knew little about true fighting or combat. But she’d not lived under her father’s roof and survived without knowing how to defend herself. She packed all she needed and nothing more, and with a last glance at her empty little cottage in the woods, she entered the forest’s clutches.

The trees. Nella knew better than to scoff or appear overly hostile, but the trees had a hell of an idea of what guiding her meant. She followed the path the trees carved out for her to a tee, never straying, but the days went by, blending into weeks. The forest couldn’t have possibly been this big. It barely took her an hour’s time to reach the little village, and the woods certainly didn’t go that much deeper.

She’d almost given up all hope when something in the forest changed. A path appeared beneath her feet barely giving Nella a start. She’d long since learned this forest could do many impossible things.

Through the morning mist she went, deftly avoiding stray roots or rocks all the while. She’d only packed enough food for a few days, and yet despite knowing it had been over two weeks, her little basket always seemed to have one more meal in it. Nella knew better than to think too hard on the impossibility. Instead, she just ate her bread, grateful to have food in her belly and water in her flask.

She made sure to thank the trees properly each night before she laid her head down and in turn they offered their protection. She made sure to thank the trees properly each morning and in turn they kept the path clean.

Until finally, finally, she stumbled onto a small house. She waited in the shadows, hugging the trees. There, sweeping the stones leading up to the house was Arcana. Bruises marred her browned skin, and she moved stiffly as though each step hurt. It was all Nella could do not to scoop her away right then and there. But the man still had her skin. And Nella had made a promise once upon a time.

She waited and watched for days and nights on end, hoping to see the man slink off somewhere to check on his stolen skin. At last, when the moon was high, he left the house and darted into the woods. He carried a torch, making it easy for Nella to follow. And he did not know the way of the trees like she did. He did not thank them and win their favor.

Nella followed him to a hollow tree. She winced as he stabbed the tree with his knife, digging away the vines that had grown surprisingly quickly around the small hole. Each cut he made sent the trees into a panic. Nella could have sworn she almost heard them scream.

Just before he could get his hands on the skin, Nella emerged from the darkness. She didn’t wait. Didn’t think herself arrogant to need to look him in the eye and proclaim victory before she killed him.

His blood coated the forest ground and she silently sent an apology to the trees. When his lifeless body seemed to sink into the dirt, she took it to mean they’d forgiven her for her actions. Inevitable. Necessary.

Nella took the skin in her arms for the first time. Even after so many months of being hidden away in some damp tree, the softness was undeniable. The trees shook, urging her back. Back to the woman she’d come to love. Back to the shapeshifter who could be complete once more.

She entered the little cottage, searching and calling out to Archana. Curled up by a dying fire, Archana slowly lifted her head.

“What took you so long?” she teased, but her smile took away what little sarcasm she had. She flew into Nella’s arms, laughing and crying at the same time. The blood staining Nella’s clothes and skin must have reeked to the sensitive woman, but Archana paid it no mind.

Eventually, Nella set Archana down. With a brilliant smile, she wrapped the long-lost skin around Archana’s slim shoulders. With a joyous shout, Archana changed. Nella knew better than to try and make sense of what she saw. Everyone who knew anything about shapeshifters knew no one could possibly describe what happened when a creature took their true form.

In Archana’s place sat a beautiful feline creature Nella had never seen before. Never such a majestic species as this. The cat, just reaching her hips, playfully nudged her towards the door. Nella laughed in delight, and together the two hurried outside, free at last.

The trees took pity on them. A journey that had once taken Nella weeks only took minutes. They did not question the logic or reasoning of the trees. Instead, Nella just let her hand brush the softness of Archana’s fur. The shapeshifter did not change back, even as she pounced onto their bed, curling up on her side as she’d always done.

With a half-hearted warning not to scratch her with those claws, Nella shed her bloody dress, wiped the remains of that bastard from her skin, and slid into bed. Archana would change back when she was ready.

Days and days went by and still Archana remained happily in her cat form, bounding around the yard, chasing little furry creatures back up trees and rolling in the glittering slow. She no longer had issues with the cold, safe and sound in a thick layer of fur. Nella did not ask when she might change once more. She knew after months of deprivation, this was good. Even if she had to spend far too long toweling the shapeshifter’s damp fur before she could be allowed on the bed. Yes, this was good indeed.

Eventually Archana grew tired of stealing little kisses with a rough tongue. She changed, once more naked as anything. Nella briefly wondered whatever happened to the dress she’d been wearing, but couldn’t bring herself to care. She’d come to hate that dress anyway. And Archana looked much better like this anyway.

“Thank you for being so patient, and for saving me, and for being so wonderful.” Archana punctuated each of her thanks with a kiss. Nella flushed, holding Archana close.

“There is no need to thank me, my love,” Nella said softly, drawing Archana to their bed. “If you must, give thanks to the trees. They are such good listeners, you know.” Archana laughed, pressing Nella down to the soft mattress.

Archana didn’t always stay. She was a shapeshifter. The rules were different. Sometimes she only remained a few days, sometimes she stayed for months. She drifted in and out of her feline form as she pleased, and always hung her skin up neatly when she was finished. She would always leave. Nella knew that. She expected it. Archana would leave for days, weeks, months, but always without fail, the trees showed her the way home.

And Nella? Well, Nella did as she’d always done. She gave thanks to the trees.


End file.
